Excesses and excuses

It is ironic that what was designed as a medal of honour is attracting dishonour. After two four-year terms in office and an initial applause, former Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his former deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, are on the receiving end of applaudable boos. At the heart of the matter is an unfeeling move by the Edo State House of Assembly.

News that the state’s lawmakers amended the “2007 Pension Rights of the Governor and Deputy Governor Law” to favour Oshiomhole and Odubu was particularly striking because of its curious complexion. There was only one amendment to the law; but it is an amendment that speaks volumes.

What the amendment meant was enough to trigger a protest that turned bloody as its supporters and its opponents clashed in Benin, the state capital. The amendment opposers who were members of civil society organisations (CSOs) probably underestimated the muscle of the amendment endorsers who were mightily misguided on the issue.

A report said: “Members of the CSOs, who were dressed in black attires, were at the House of Assembly at the Oba Ovonramwen Square to show their displeasure at the amendment.” The protest coordinator, Agho Omobude, described what followed their collision with the pro-amendment group: “About 12 of our members have been injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment while three vehicles were destroyed. We don’t know what would have happened if we had not fled.”

A defiant Omobude was quoted as saying: “No matter the threat to our lives, we would not back down. We are sending a strong message to members of the Assembly and the state government that we would not give up. We shall employ all means to continue the fight and resist the obnoxious policy of government of N200 million and N100 million housing pension to the former governor and his deputy.”

By the amendment, Oshiomhole and Odubu would have new entitlements. A report said the bill with the subhead titled “provision of a house,” provided for “a house in a location of choice in Nigeria of the Governor provided that the total cost of building the house shall not be in excess of 200 million naira while 100 million naira for the deputy governor.”

It is intriguing that those who carried out this amendment feel comfortable with the additional comforts it provides for those concerned. In the face of loud opposition to the amendment, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Justin Okonoboh, defended the indefensible. He was quoted as saying: ”Some talked about the amount and I think that was quite moderate because the law says any part of the country. If you want to use 200 million naira in Lagos, it probably might just be a grant to them because they need to add money to build a befitting house in Lagos or wherever.”

It is noteworthy that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) not only rubbished the amendment but also demanded that Governor Godwin Obaseki should “immediately withdraw the bill, and use the funds to clear the backlog of pension arrears spanning between seven and 45 months.”

The beauty of democracy is the separation of powers which makes it possible for Obaseki to reject the amendment and refuse to give gubernatorial assent to it. It is unclear whether the bill had an input from Obaseki, but how he responds to it will show where he stands. It does not make sense to pursue extra comforts for Oshiomhole and Odubu at the expense of the people.

The immediate beneficiaries of the amendment, if it is allowed to stand, are the immediate past governor and the immediate past deputy governor, which suggests that the bill was drafted with them in mind. Although it is expected that there will be other beneficiaries of the amendment, the point that it was probably inspired by a desire to please Oshiomhole and Odubu is something to ponder.

There were other details that were unamended. A report said: “Other benefits to be enjoyed by former governors in the state are, a pension for life at a rate equivalent to 100 percent of his last annual salary in addition to an officer not above salary grade level 12 as Special Assistant, a personal secretary not below grade level 10 who shall be selected by the former governors from the public service of Edo State. Former governors are also entitled to have two cooks, two armed policemen as security, three vehicles to be bought by the State Government and liable to be replaced every five years, three drivers who shall be selected by the former governor and paid by the state government as well as free medical treatment for the governor and his immediate family.”

It continued: “Former deputy governors are entitled to 100 percent of their last annual salary as pension, a personal staff not above salary grade level 12 as Special Assistant, a personal secretary not below grade level 09 who shall be selected by the former deputy governor from the public service of the state, a cook, two policemen as security. Two vehicles bought by the state government and liable to be replaced every five years are to be provided, two drivers who shall be selected by former deputy governors and paid by the state government and free medical treatment for them and their immediate family.”

It may be considered a redeeming feature of the Edo legislative exercise that the other lawful entitlements were unamended. But the considerations that led to the contentious amendment need to be reconsidered. Indeed, it is important to re-examine the thinking that ex-governors and ex- deputy governors are entitled to so much.

This nonsense is not exclusive to Edo State. A report named eight other states where ex-governors are entitled to excessive benefits: Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Sokoto, Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Kwara and Zamfara. There is an entitlement complex on the part of the beneficiaries and there is a complex sense of indebtedness on the part of those who make such benefits possible.

Sooner or later, the excesses and the excuses for them will need to be reviewed in line with the demands of reasonableness rather than unreasonableness.